


Christmas in Manitowoc

by Nerd_alert19



Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)
Genre: Christmas Fluff, F/M, Fluff and Angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-09
Updated: 2019-12-25
Packaged: 2021-02-26 00:08:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 12,874
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21724276
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nerd_alert19/pseuds/Nerd_alert19
Summary: AU fluff set in the academy era.
Relationships: Phil Coulson/Melinda May
Comments: 93
Kudos: 107





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by this.....“I know where Coulson was born, who his parents were…seen pictures of him as a kid…. I know how he lived…and died…everything” -Melinda May (6x05)

Phil Coulson looked up when his best friend stepped back into the room and threw her phone on the bed with a frustrated growl before flopping her body down after it. 

“Want to talk about it?” He asked as he swiveled his chair away from the desk to have a clear view of her stretched out on his bed.

She had her face buried in his pillow, and he was waiting patiently for her to start screaming into it. Instead, she just responded with a muffled, “My mom called.”

Having met her mother before, he now understood her frustrations. He nodded and then realized she couldn’t see him with her head in the pillow, so he verbally prompted, “Is everything okay with your mom?”

Finally, she rolled onto her back and stared up at his ceiling. Her jaw was clenched so he could tell that whatever her mother said had upset her. He leaned back into the chair to give her time to gather her thoughts. 

“She said her current mission is taking longer than she anticipated, so she won’t be home for Christmas.”

“Oh…” he said and realized why May was so upset. She had been looking forward to going home over break and spending time with her mom. It bothered him to see her so disappointed. 

He smiled sympathetically. “So….what are you going to do then?” 

“Well, …she offered to pay for a hotel wherever I wanted to go. I guess I’ll just do that,” She answered with a shrug of her shoulders. 

He nodded thoughtfully as he tried to encourage her. “Yeah…that could be fun….I umm…I bet Andrew would really enjoy that.”

“Andrew? He already has plans to go home and spend the holidays with his family,” she said dismissively and propped herself up on her elbow to be able to see him while they talked.

“Oh…and he didn’t ask you to go with him?” He asked surprised. 

She rolled her eyes and looked at him with a raised brow. Okay…so he either didn’t ask, or it wasn’t something she wanted to do. He just tucked that little kernel of info away to examine later. He didn’t like the idea of anyone being alone on the holidays, but especially her. He knew he was just setting himself up for rejection, but decided to just suck it up and ask anyway. 

“Why don’t you come home with me over break?” He suggested and tried to act casual even though his heart was pounding and his palms were sweaty.

“Phil…I’ll be okay. You don’t have to do that. The last thing I need is a pity invite.” She sighed.

“Actually…..” Go big or go home he thought as he prepared to confess “I wanted to ask you before, but I figured you had plans with Garner…especially when you said you were going home.”

“Oh….” She said with a surprised expression “you were going to invite me to go home with you?”

“Yeah….you’re my best friend…and the thought of being away from you for two weeks kinda bummed me out…so I was just going to try to take you with me…but then you said you had plans so….” He trailed off and watched her reaction to his confession for any sign that he had made her uncomfortable. 

She sat up and leaned against his headboard while her fingers toyed with the edge of his pillowcase. “You can’t just spring me on your family, Phil” She argued. “You’re supposed to leave tomorrow. That’s unfair to your mom to have me tag along on such short notice.”

“Hmm….hold that thought!” He smiled and with that, he picked up his phone and hit the speed dial. The other end picked up before Melinda could even process what he was doing.

“Hi….no everything is fine…yes, I’m still planning to head that way tomorrow. Actually…I was just calling to see if you minded me bringing a friend with me?”

Melinda was now watching him with arms crossed and a good eye roll thrown in. 

“I know…I know….you always enjoy company…but you see, Mom,….my friend is SUPER stubborn and refused to even consider my invitation until I could confirm that you wouldn’t mind. Yes… I know….thanks, mom! I’ll let her know…….yeah, it’s Melinda.” With that, he pulled the phone away from his ear and held it up with a smirk and raised brow so that Melinda could hear the excited chatter on the other end. 

“No mom….she doesn’t have any food allergies. She eats literally EVERYTHING! Seriously, mom….she eats like a horse!” He laughed and unsuccessfully dodged the pillow that was chucked at his head. 

“Yeah….she’s pretty great….yeah…I’m excited too, Mom. Okay….We’ll see you tomorrow night. Love you too, Mom. Yeah…I’ll tell her. Bye, Mom.” He closed the phone and then looked at Melinda with a smug expression on his face as he crossed his arms over his chest. 

“She wanted me to tell you that she’s excited you’re coming and that she’ll have almond cookies waiting for you when we get there.”

“My favorite cookies…..and just how did she know what my favorite cookies are, Phil?” She questioned with narrowed eyes. 

He shrugged and tried unsuccessfully to hide his grin. 

“Hmm…I dunno…guess she’s just psychic or something…..but she’s probably already setting the butter out right now…..You wouldn’t want to disappoint my dear, sweet mother by not coming now would you?”

“Really, Phil? The puppy dog face?” She tried to look unaffected but a moment later she sighed and said, “Okay, okay I’ll go home with you.”

“My mother will be so pleased. Guess you should pack then, May. Lola and I are heading out at 7am sharp.”

He was waiting for her by the car when she walked out of the dorm at 6:45. He took her bag from her and placed it in the trunk while she climbed into the passenger seat. He had been dreading the long drive before, but as he watched Melinda buckle in and reach to turn on the radio, he was suddenly grateful it would take them a while to get there. She reached into the bag at her feet and pulled out a bag of Twizzlers and placed them on the console between them, and he fell a little more in love with her. 

“You just happened to have my favorite snack in your bag, Melinda?” He teased. 

“Actually…I picked them up the other day. I was going to give them to you before you left so you’d have them for your drive.” She stated casually as if the sweet gesture were no big deal.

He smiled at her thoughtfulness and went to reach for the bag of licorice but quickly pulled his hand back when she smacked it. 

“Those are for later, Phillip. Breakfast first. I snagged these from the cafeteria.” With that, she reached back into the bag and pulled out two sausage and egg biscuits.

“You are the absolute best, Melinda May!” He beamed.

“I know,” she responded smugly and began unwrapping the biscuit and then re-arranging the wrapper in a way that he could hold it and eat while he was driving. He really did love her. 

He’d come close to admitting as much to her several times, but she had a boyfriend. He really wanted to hate the guy, or at least strongly dislike him, but the guy was practically a saint and he couldn’t fault the way he treated Melinda. He was super nice too and was going to school to be a psychologist. He was planning for a life long career of helping others, and he was good looking. 

Stupid, handsome, nice guy. 

Phil knew he could never compete with that, so he kept his confession to himself. He needed Melinda in his life, and there was no way he was going to risk losing her by confessing to feelings she didn’t want from him. 

As he took the exit that would put them on the highway, he stole a glance at her and smiled. She was so beautiful, and he loved her. As long as Garner made her happy then he would keep his big mouth shut and just be happy that she was happy. 

They made great time, and he was positive that she was by far the best road trip buddy ever. They played the classic road trip games to pass the time, and she teased him mercilessly when he had to pick an animal for the letter “F” and all his panicked brain could come up with before time ran out was “fat elephant”. He pretended to be annoyed every time she brought it up again, but she had the sweetest laugh and it was well worth the teasing to hear it. 

She had great taste in music too, and he took the opportunity to tease her back when he caught her quietly singing along to ‘Hotel California’ by the Eagles. 

His mom had loved her instantly when they met a couple of years earlier; so it was no exaggeration that she was excited about Melinda coming home with him, and she made it obvious by the giant hug she pulled her into as soon as they were on the porch of his childhood home. 

“I’ve made up the guest room for you, dear. It’s right across from Phil’s old room. He can show you where it is and help get you settled in. Take your time unpacking. The cookies still need to bake a few minutes,” she instructed as Phil carried their bags in and headed for the stairs. 

“Thank you so much for letting me crash your Christmas, Mrs. Coulson.” Melinda expressed as she gave her another brief hug in gratitude. 

She patted Melinda’s back in reassurance. “You’re not crashing Melinda! You are always welcome here. Phil had told me at Thanksgiving that he was planning to ask you so I’m glad it all worked out and you were able to come.”

“Thanksgiving…huh?” She inquired with a smile and watched as his blush reached up to the top of his ears. He refused to turn around and started to ascend the steps. She just shook her head with a smirk and followed him up to the guest room. 

He set her bag down on the dresser and pointed out where the bathroom and his room were located. She just nodded and then sat down on the bed with a smirk on her face. 

He sighed and slumped his shoulders in defeat, “Okay….let’s have it.”

“You’ve been planning since Thanksgiving to invite me to come home with you.” It was more of a statement than a question and her eyes danced as the flush returned to his cheeks. 

He opened his mouth to respond but then closed it quickly, “Oh my…look at the time…it’s… whew, it’s getting late.” He claimed with a fake yawn.

“It’s 7:30, Phil.” She informed him with her tongue in her cheek in that way that he found as attractive as he found annoying.

He nodded as he tried to quickly re-strategize. “What was that, mom? The cookies are ready? We’ll be right down, mom!” He pretended to call down the stairs and reached out a hand to help her up.

She just shook her head with a laugh and accepted the hand he offered as she stood up to follow him. “This conversation isn’t over, Phil.” She said as they left the room.

“Of that, I have no doubt, Melinda.” He sighed as he led her downstairs to the still baking cookies. 


	2. Chapter 2

It was ten more minutes before the cookies were done, and Melinda made sure to point that out along with his potential hearing problems.

They spent time in the kitchen with his mom for a while over milk and the almond cookies she had made for Melinda. He should definitely feel embarrassed by the stories his mom was telling about his days with a blanket cape and paper-mâché shield, but every time he went to voice a protest and change the subject, Melinda’s laugh would ring out and he’d bite his tongue.

He’d gladly suffer the embarrassment to keep hearing her laugh like that.

Eventually, his mother decided to call it a night and showed Melinda where the Christmas movies were in case they wanted to stay up a little longer. He made them popcorn while she picked out “It’s a Wonderful Life” and they met up in the living room.

His mother’s living room had a couch, antique rocking chair, and a double recliner that could comfortably accommodate two people. There was a small side table between the couch and recliner so he placed the popcorn there and decided to let Melinda have the couch in case she wanted to stretch out. He settled in the recliner with an old blanket his grandmother had made and looked up surprised when Melinda lifted the blanket and slid in next to him. She handed him the bowl of popcorn and reached out to turn off the lamp next to them so that the only light offered was the glow of the tv. 

She grabbed a handful of popcorn before asking, “Okay, honestly, Phil, how many times have you seen this movie?”

  
He was so focused on every point of contact her body made against his that he almost missed her question. “Umm…I don’t know…at least 20 times. We’ve watched it every Christmas season since I was a kid. How many times have you seen it?”

“Never seen it,” she shrugged.

He gasped, “What?! It’s a classic? How have you made it through life without ever seeing this movie?” 

She smirked, “I don’t know…but I’m trying to watch it now and someone keeps talking.”

He gave her a pointed look and made sure she was watching as he mocked zipping his lips and locking them with a key. She laughed and threw a piece of popcorn at his face before turning back towards the tv. 

Halfway through the movie, she placed the popcorn on the table next to them and five minutes after that she was asleep with her head on his shoulder. He smiled and very carefully reclined the chair back ever so slightly so that they were laid back a little more. His heart was full and his eyes were heavy so ten minutes later he had joined her in sleep. 

He was awoken by her soft voice calling to him. He opened his eyes slowly to see her smirking at him. “You fell asleep,” she teased. 

“You fell asleep first” he counter-argued and closed his eyes again. 

She shoved him a little before she stated, “The movie’s over and you make a lumpy pillow. Let’s go to bed.”

His heart raced as he imagined those words being said by her in a different context, but he knew she didn’t mean them the way his sleepy brain desired. Still, his heart didn’t seem to understand the difference and he worked to keep his face from blushing. He sat the chair up and folded the blanket while she took the popcorn bowl to the kitchen to clean up. She joined him back in the living room by the time he had put the movie away, and they headed upstairs together.

They lingered in the hallway for a moment between their rooms and he offered, “If you need anything just come get me, but make yourself at home, okay?”

“Okay,” she nodded and then tiptoed up to place a soft kiss to his cheek. “Thanks for inviting me, Phil, I’m glad I’m spending Christmas with you. You really are my best friend, and I would have missed you,” she said with a smile as she pulled away. 

He swallowed hard and nodded, “I would have missed you too, Mel. Sweet dreams.”

“You too, Phil,” she replied before turning to head into the guest room. 

He stood there for a moment with his hand pressed to his cheek. The skin tingled where her lips had been, and he felt his heart clench a little. Best friend to Melinda May. He really wished that was all he wanted. His plans to be happy for her happiness were derailed every time he spent time with her, and he was starting to think bringing her here was a mistake. It only took a moment of thinking about her all alone at Christmas before he was grateful she was there once more. He took one last lingering look at her closed door before turning to head into his own room for the night. 

He was determined to make the most of being with his best friend for Christmas and move past these feelings for her. She was the most important person in his world and he wasn’t going to risk losing her over some feelings that she would never return. He fell asleep trying very hard not to think about the feel of her lips against his cheek or how incredible it felt to have her fall asleep with her head on his shoulder. 

He was terribly unsuccessful. 


	3. Chapter 3

She came downstairs the next morning as he was setting up to make homemade waffles for breakfast. She smiled happily as she joined him at the counter and peered into the bowls to see what he was making. He loved seeing her so relaxed and happy. He was in love with every version of her, but a happy Melinda did things to his heart. 

“How can I help?” She asked as she pulled a hair tie from her wrist and secured her hair out of the way before moving to the sink and washing her hands. 

He handed her a couple of eggs and pointed to the empty glass bowl. “Crack these.”

She carefully cracked the eggs into the bowl while he measured out flour and sugar into another. A bit of flour dust puffed out of the bowl when he poured it in and left traces across the counter. 

“Oh, Phil,….you have some flour on your face,” She said as she reached up to brush her hand across his cheek.

“Thanks!” he said and tried not to shiver at her touch.

He started to measure the milk into the bowl, but he noticed her smirking as she whipped the eggs and grew suspicious. 

“I didn’t have any flour on my face did I?” He asked.

“Nope,” she said with a playful smile and shake of her head.

It was then that he noticed the traces of white powder on her fingertips. 

“But I do now don’t I?” He asked with a raised brow.

“Yep!” She confirmed, and her smile grew.

He moved his fingers across the flour on the counter and reached for her cheek, “Then let me help you too.”

Her quick reflexes allowed her to grab his wrist before he could reach her cheek, and she placed her free hand on his chest to keep him away. 

“Oh come on, May, I’m just trying to be as helpful as you were” he claimed as he used his free hand to reach for the bag of flour and pull out a fist full. 

She watched his hand carefully as she gave a warning, “Phil….”

“Yes?” He questioned with a smirk. 

Her eyes narrowed as she warned again, “You don’t want to do this…”

“Actually,...I think I do…” he said and his eyes danced playfully. 

“I could hurt you,” she promised in a low tone. 

He just smirked. “You won’t. I’m your best friend and it’s Christmas.”

“Those are two very good reasons why you should put the flour down and end this like a gentleman.”

“And you’ll behave too?” He asked suspiciously. 

She put on her most innocent expression as she assured him, “Scouts honor.”

He rolled his eyes with a sigh and lowered his hand to the counter to drop the fistful of flour he held. 

She smiled in triumph and went back to the eggs. 

“Phil!” She shrieked a moment later as his hand swept across her cheek leaving behind a floury trail. “You said you wouldn’t!”

“Yeah, well you were never in the scouts so I didn’t trust you! How dare you claim the scout's code, you outsider!” He cried in mock outrage. 

She laughed and tossed a fistful of flour in his direction and he sputtered and wiped his eyes. Flour was clinging to his hair and eyelashes, and she couldn’t stop laughing at the sight he made. He grabbed her around the waist with one arm while his free hand grabbed a pile of flour. She was still laughing as she tried half-heartedly to pry his arm from her waist to move to safety, but he was determined and pulled her tight against his chest.

“Ugh, Phil!” She yelped as he rubbed the white dust into the top of her hair and brushed his fingers across her cheek. 

“Say, Mercy, Melinda” he goaded in her ear and smiled as her playful laugh rang out. She grabbed another handful of flour and reached up behind her to rub it into his hair until he let go to move away. 

They were both laughing from opposite ends of the counter and watching each other carefully for any sign of retaliation. 

The kitchen was a wreck. Flour coated the counter and floors and every move they made left a trail following after them. They both looked around at the mess. His eyes were filled with amusement and she bit her lip to keep from laughing. 

“We’ve got to get this cleaned up before your mom comes downstairs,” she exclaimed and held her hands up as a sign of peace. “Truce?” She offered.

He studied her doubtfully but eventually held up his own hands in agreement. “Truce.”

They cast glances at each other as they cleaned up. Both smiled as they worked and eventually had the kitchen back in its original shape. This time he was extra careful as he measured out the flour.

“Oh, Phil, you’ve got some…”

“Nope!” He interrupted with a stern expression, but he broke into a smile the second he heard her giggle softly beside him. 

They had just pulled the last of the waffles from the iron when his mother came into the kitchen. 

She eyed them both suspiciously but they kept their straightest and most innocent faces in place. 

“Everything okay down here?” She asked as she looked them over. They didn’t even glance at each other as they nodded and offered placating words.

“It’s great,” Phil started, “we made waffles and homemade maple syrup.”

“Phil even let me help,” Melinda added with a bright smile. 

She nodded and took the plate of waffles they offered her. They both joined her at the table acting as if nothing were amiss. They were so cute trying to play it off that she decided not to mention the flour streaked faces or the questionable amount in both of their hair. She did let out a smile when Melinda almost choked on her orange juice halfway through breakfast when Phil bent his head down to eat and a white trail of dust fell from his head and onto his plate. She’d never seen her son look so happy as he tried to hide his own smirk. 

She just took another bite of waffle.

She’d let them have their fun. Her kitchen was clean, they were happy and here for Christmas, and they both seemed more relaxed.

Plus...they made really good waffles. 

He stepped into the kitchen later that afternoon to find Melinda and his mother sitting at the table with their heads bent low together. He groaned when he realized they were looking through family photo albums. Melinda looked up with a huge grin on her face looking far too pleased with herself. 

“Just in time, Phil,” she beamed, “we just stumbled across the bathtub pics!”

“I’m going back out to shovel someone else’s driveway now,” he moaned and turned to head back out, but Melinda quickly grabbed his wrist and tugged him back to the table. He rolled his eyes but gave in and took the seat next to her. 

They flipped the page to the next set of pictures, and he watched as her eyes eagerly took in the new images. 

She pointed to a picture and asked, “Is this your dad?”

“Yeah….I think I was about three in that one,” he replied as he leaned closer to look at the pic. 

“He was very handsome,” she said and took a moment to study him in comparison to the picture. “You look a lot like him” she added, and his heart filled with pride at the compliment.

His mother quickly flipped to another picture of an older Phil with his father, “He was a very handsome man. Look how much Phil favors him in this one.”

Melinda hummed in agreement as her fingers carefully traced delicately over the old photograph. The soft smile on her face gave him the familiar flutter in his stomach that he’d come to associate with being in love with Melinda May. 

Picture after picture brought a light to her eyes that he soaked in. She was getting to know him, every bit of his past, and that thrilled him in ways he wasn’t prepared for. He felt a longing in his heart to find himself in a similar situation with her parents. He wanted to see pictures of her growing up, hear stories of her learning to ride a bike or learning to skate, see old memories captured in aging photographs. He wanted to know her past, every detail. 

She looked up with a bright smile, and he was sure he could never grow tired of seeing it. 

“I need to be heading into town to pick up a few things, but I’ll leave these out for you,” his mother said as she stood to leave. 

They bid her goodbye and finished the album. He answered her questions about various pictures and told the stories behind some of his favorites. She gravitated towards his childhood pictures of Christmas activities, and he knew the holidays were vastly different for her considering her heritage. They had their own traditions in her family. 

“I’m really glad you came home with me, Mel.” He said as he leaned back in his seat and kept his eyes focused on the photos to avoid making eye contact with her. 

Her hand on his wrist brought his eyes up to hers. She gave him a warm smile as she responded, “Me too, Phil.”

There was a softness in her expression he hadn’t seen before. She was happy and relaxed, and he wanted to hold on to this time with her. He wanted to hold on to her. 

He just loved her. 

Her thumb stroked softly over his wrist and her expression turned contemplative for a moment. When she looked at him he could almost make himself believe that just maybe she could love him back. 

She opened her mouth to say something, but the ringing of her phone broke the silence. She glanced at the Caller ID and hesitated for a moment before saying, “I should probably get this.” 

She stood to step into the other room and paused for just a moment before leaning down and placing a soft, sweet kiss to his cheek. 

He swallowed hard as he watched her leave to answer Andrew’s call. 

He could still feel the whisper of her thumb sweep across his wrist and the ghost of her lips against his cheek. 

He sighed knowing it was simply his fate to be madly in love with the girl he can’t have. 


	4. Chapter 4

“That is not how you do it,” she said with a roll of her eyes. 

He shot back an eye roll of his own as he claimed, “Yes it is! Just trust me!”

“I’ve built a snowman before, Phil,” she argued and scooped up a handful of snow to begin packing it into a ball in her hands. 

He gave an over-exaggerated sigh as he exclaimed, “Yes, but that was a Pennsylvania snowman. The snow here is different. This is how you make a Wisconsin snowman. It’s so not the same, Melinda.”

“Seriously, Phil?” She huffed in feigned frustration. 

He went to work showing her how to properly pack the snow to form the base for their snowman as he continued to explain, “Yes….now watch how I pack it with just the right amount of…” 

His words were cut off by a freshly packed snowball smacking him upside the head.

“How was that one? I want to make sure I do it right.” She teased and her eyes danced playfully as she picked up another handful of snow to start packing her next weapon. 

“Seriously, Melinda?” He asked with an exasperated sigh. 

Her answer was a snowball hitting him square in the chest. 

He slowly raised his eyes to hers with an incredulous look on his face. 

The snowman was now forgotten as he used the snow he was packing to create his own retaliation missile. She laughed tauntingly as his snowball sailed just slightly over her left shoulder. He quickly packed another and was more careful with his targeting. He watched proudly as it sailed perfectly in her direction, and then watched with horror as she ducked and the snowball connected to the back of the mailman who was placing a letter in the neighbor's mailbox. 

Noticing the look of shock on his face, Melinda turned quickly and clamped a gloved hand across her mouth before a laugh could escape. 

“I am so sorry!” Phil gushed as the mailman wiped the snow from his coat with an annoyed expression. 

He muttered all the way back to his car and cast a frustrated glance in their direction as he drove away. 

As soon as he was out of sight, Melinda let out the laugh she had been holding in. He narrowed his eyes as he looked over at her. 

“Is that how you do it in Wisconsin? Cause…in Pennsylvania we’re nice to our mailman…” she teased and yelped as he responded by tackling her into the snowbank behind her. 

“You ducked!” He accused as he used his weight to hold her in place beneath him. 

She laughed and put a handful of snow to his neck until he slapped her hand away and gripped her wrist to hold her hands above her head and away from his skin. They were both smiling as he leaned over her to keep her pinned down in the snow. 

“What now, Phillip?” She asked and her eyes danced happily as she watched to see what he would do. 

His breath caught, and he suddenly became aware of how intimately she was positioned beneath him. He could feel the heat radiating from her even through the layers of snow clothes that they were bundled in. He was close enough to feel the warm puffs of breath slipping past her lips and warming his cheek. Her smile faded as she studied him carefully. The look in her eyes transitioned from playful to anticipatory as she held perfectly still beneath him. 

He paused for a moment as he weighed his options. His brain told him that he needed to move and create some space between them, but his heart…oh his heart was so full of love for her that he couldn’t think rationally. 

He let his heart decide. 

He lowered his head towards hers slowly as he watched carefully for any sign of resistance from her. Her eyes held warmth and affection and a soft smile tugged at the corner of her lips. His heart was racing as he closed the distance between them. His nose brushed hers and he could feel her exhale slowly against his lips as they came within a millimeter of hers. His eyes slid closed. 

“Phil!” He heard ring out and he pulled away from her guiltily. “Aunt Sarah is here to drop off the boxes for the shelter. Can you help her unload the car, please?”

“Be right there, Mom,” he called out and carefully maneuvered himself to his feet. He reached out a hand to help Melinda up and noticed a soft flush on her cheeks as she studied him carefully for a moment. 

She opened her mouth to speak, and he held his breath. She seemed to change her mind about what she had intended to say and offered him a soft smile as she asked, “Need some help?”

“Sure,” he agreed and gestured for her to lead the way to the front yard where his Aunt Sarah’s car was parked in the driveway. She missed the look of disappointment on his face as he followed her. 

It was probably for the best that his mother had interrupted them. He was seconds away from ruining everything.

He’d have to be more careful for the rest of the trip. 

She wasn’t his to kiss. 

  
They spent the next few hours helping his mother deliver boxes to the shelter and decorating around the house. He knew his mom enjoyed having the house decorated for the holiday, but he was grateful that she was sentimental and waited for him to get home to put it all up. He also knew that Melinda didn’t have these types of traditions growing up, and he was happy to share them with her. 

She asked questions about various ornaments as they pulled them out to put on the tree that evening, and he smiled listening to his mother tell the stories and sentiment about each one. He couldn’t keep his heart from longing for a future filled with memories with her and he hoped that he’d always have a place in her life. 

Even best friends got to celebrate Christmas together. 

She noticed him lost in quiet thoughts and started teasing him about the large collection of Captain America ornaments he had amassed over the years. He just grinned and accused of her of being jealous of his great taste in Christmas decor. 

He watched her carefully as his mom moved to hang the stockings on the fireplace. His mother smiled proudly as she placed the last one and heard Melinda’s gasp of surprise to see her name carefully embroidered on the top. 

“You didn’t have to do that Mrs. Coulson,” she said with a sweet smile that showed just how much the gesture meant to her. 

“Nonsense, Dear, you are always welcome here,” she assured and pulled Melinda in for a hug. “Plus,” she added with a conspiratorial wink, “I’ve had since Thanksgiving to get it done.”

They both laughed as his ears turned pink, and he pretended to ignore them as he placed more ornaments on the tree. 

He was more than happy to be the source of their teasing if it kept Melinda smiling like that. 

His mother left to run to the store for items she needed for dinner and they settled at the kitchen table with Christmas cookies and hot chocolate. 

“So, Melinda,” he started after the second cookie, “there’s been something I’ve been meaning to ask you.”

She arched a brow but relented, “Okay, go ahead.”

“What made you drop the dance elective this term?” He questioned and knew he had caught her off guard. 

“Seriously?” She asked but at his nod she shrugged and answered “I just hate dancing.”

“Pshh,” he responded with a roll of his eyes, “you do not.”

She folded her arms across her chest ready to defend herself, “Yes I do. I’ve never enjoyed it and I never will.”

He smiled brightly with a glint in his eyes as he said, “Challenge accepted.”

Her brows furrowed in confusion for a moment before she smirked and shook her head. “No way, Coulson. I know what you’re thinking and no.”

He just smiled and went to the small bookshelf on the other side of the kitchen that held his mom’s cookbooks. A radio sat on the top shelf and he fiddled with the knob until he heard the familiar strains of “Jingle Bell Rock” fill the room. 

He walked back to the table and held out his hand to her while fully ignoring the murderous look on her face. 

“I’ll make a deal with you. If you can make it through a dance without smiling, then I’ll agree that you hate it and never bring it up again. In fact, I will go out of my way as your best friend to ensure that you never have to dance as long as I’m around to save you.”

“But?” She asked with a suspicious arch to her brow. 

“If you smile, you just have to admit that you don’t hate it so much. That’s all.” He promised and held out his hand with a pointed look. 

She rolled her eyes but took his hand and allowed him to pull her up. He led her to the small open area by the bookshelf and took her into a proper dance pose. He kept it slow at first as he led her around the small space, and her expression seemed less than pleased. The song ended and transitioned to Feliz Navadid and he wiggled his eyes brows at her playfully. Her face looked stoic but there was a slight spark of amusement in her eyes that encouraged him. He pulled her in close and adjusted their stance to fit a more latin style movement and quickened their pace as he led her around the table and back to the open space. As it reached the chorus he placed a nearby spatula between his teeth in substitution of the classic rose and transitioned them to the opening steps of a tango. As he quickly turned them to head back the other direction he caught the corners of her lips trying not to turn up and knew he was close. As they reached the second chorus he spun her out and back into his arms before releasing her to give his best solo dance moves, which he would admit looked more like a frantic chicken than actual dance moves, but the giggle that slipped from her lips at his antics signaled victory. 

She smirked as she shook her head and groaned, “You play dirty.”

He removed the spatula with a large grin. “Doesn’t matter. You liked dancing.”

“I liked dancing with you,” she admitted with a roll of her eyes.

“Fine. Then you just dance with me then.”

“Deal,” she agreed but smirked as she added, “but not in public. I will not be seen with you doing whatever that just was.”

“Melinda, how dare you. That was my signature dance move.”

“Uh huh…maybe you should keep working on that.”

“I think you’re right,” he said with a soft smile as he pulled her into his arms. The soft lilt of Judy Garland’s voice took over as “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas” played. 

His hand rested on her back respectfully as he held her hand in his and led them slowly around the room. A few bars into the song she stepped closer and rested her head on his shoulder. 

For a moment he could pretend that this whole scene was romantic and his love was wrapped in his arms happy to steal a moment in time with him. 

As she pressed a little closer he decided that stealing a dance with his best friend was the next best thing.

  
Later that night, they settled in for another movie and he was better prepared when she slid into the recliner next to him. 

They shared popcorn while they watched the movie, but eventually she broke the silence. 

“Thanks again for bringing me home with you, Phil,” she said softly and his heart filled with warmth. 

He gave her a soft smile in return as he replied sincerely, “I wouldn’t want to spend Christmas without you, Mel.”

She smiled brightly and picked up his arm to drape around her shoulders as she snuggled into his side. 

He placed the popcorn on the table next to them and reclined the chair back a bit. He wasn’t even sure which movie they were watching anymore, but he was certain it was now his favorite. 

As the credits rolled, he woke her up and walked her to the stairs. Her hair was messy, and her eyes were clouded with sleep; and he chuckled to himself as he watched her stumble a little on their way up. She paused outside of her door and turned back to him. What he was sure was meant to be a hug turned into more of her leaning her head sleepily against his chest and muttering, “Night, Phil” into his shirt. 

Laughing he put both hands on her shoulder and turned her around and pointed her in the direction of the bed with a promise to take care of the clean up downstairs. 

He lay in bed later that night with a content smile on his face dreaming of a future he knew he couldn’t have. 


	5. Chapter 5

He adjusted his tie in the mirror as a gentle knock sounded on his door. 

“Come in,” he called out and sighed when the tie seemed to go crooked again. 

He glanced toward the door to see Melinda standing there in a red dress with her hair tucked in a careful design at the base of her neck. His heart raced and he worked to keep his jaw from dropping open. 

She was so beautiful. 

The slight blush gracing her cheeks made him aware that he was staring and he went back to working on his tie. 

“I’ll help you if you help me,” she offered and stepped further into his room to join him by the mirror. 

At his nod of approval, she turned and offered him a view of her back with a half pulled zipper. 

He swallowed hard and tried to keep his hands from shaking as he moved to pull the zipper closed. His knuckle just barely graced her skin and she shivered. 

“Sorry! My hands are cold,” he apologized and finished pulling the zipper in place. 

She was blushing when she turned back around and kept her eyes trained on his tie as she moved to adjust it. 

He held his breath as her graceful hands undid the knot and carefully went about re-tying it. He was sure she could feel his heart hammering in his chest as she slid the knot up and into place. 

“There,” she breathed and brushed her palms across the shoulders of his shirt to smooth out any wrinkles that might exist. 

He watched her carefully afraid to break the moment with words. He wasn’t even sure anything coming out of his mouth would be coherent anyway. 

“Thanks,” he murmured eventually and her hand trailed down his chest as she stepped away with a blush. 

“Mmm…mmm,” she replied and turned when his mother appeared in his door.

“You two look stunning! We’ll take some pictures downstairs before we head out!” She suggested with a pleased smile. 

“Mom, it’s a tree-lighting, not the prom.” He complained but she just smiled and shook her head. 

“Phillip, I’m your mother and it’s Christmas. Just humor me, please!” She pleaded and he turned to see an amused smirk gracing Melinda’s face. 

Some help she was. 

“Yes, Phillip, it’s Christmas,” Melinda added with a smirk. 

He rolled his eyes and slipped into his suit jacket. “Fine, fine,” he relented and did not miss the pleased look that spread across his mother’s face, nor did he miss the soft chuckle from the woman at his side. 

He followed them downstairs and feigned annoyance at the photo op his mother requested. Secretly, he was pleased to have something to remember this time with Melinda. He would be very happy to have his own copy of a pic of her in that red dress to hang onto. 

She and his mother chatted happily all the way there and he was more than happy to be their driver. His mother had insisted on riding in the back, and he knew he would have to talk to her later about her poor attempts to play matchmaker. 

She had mentioned several times over the years that she thought they made a good match, and he’d be happy to agree with her if it wasn’t for the whole boyfriend and not thinking of him that way part. 

He looked next to him as he stopped at the light. She was smiling and happy and his heart flooded with warmth at the smile she gave him as his mother told another story from his childhood. The amused glint in her eyes alerted him to the fact that it was an embarrassing story that she would later use against him, but his mind was too busy racing with thoughts of her to register which story it was. 

The light turned green, and he turned his attention back to the road, but his thoughts stayed on her. 

Always on her. 

It was cold as they walked down the street towards the giant tree in the center of downtown. He was grateful that she had packed a warm winter coat and was currently burrowing into it. His mother had seen a few friends and agreed to meet up with them later before heading off and leaving them on their own. It was only a few minutes until the tree lighting would begin and he explained some of the town traditions to her while they waited. He noticed her shivering and put his arm around her shoulder to try to rub some warmth into her. She smiled gratefully as she tucked closer to his side. 

Her arm stole around his waist as they watched the giant tree come to life before them. She hummed in pleasure and he finally tore his eyes away from the breathtaking sight to look at the tree. 

The tree looked great, but she was stunning. 

Once the lighting was concluded, he led her down the street and into the community center where tables of hot chocolate and apple cider were set up along with fresh baked cookies and various other treats. 

He enjoyed walking around with her by his side and the easy conversation they enjoyed. He certainly didn’t mind introducing her to various people he knew and the look of approval on the faces of some of the older friends of his mother when they saw her. 

He’d just let them all think and assume what they wanted to about the nature of his relationship with Melinda. It would be awkward to correct them. 

That night as they walked upstairs he decided to finally ask something that had been on his mind. 

“So, why didn’t you and Andrew make plans together for Christmas?”

“Why would we?” She asked surprised by the question.

He shrugged and tried to seem less invested in the answer than he was. “Well, …you’re together….I thought you would want to…”

She leaned against the doorframe of her room as she considered his question. “That’s what serious couples do, I guess, but we didn’t even talk about it. Maybe next year.”

“He didn’t invite you home with him when you told him you didn’t have plans?” He prodded.

She shrugged, “I already had plans. I told him I was going home with you. Why are you asking? Are you regretting me coming home with you?”

“No,” he quickly assured her, “I really love having you here. This is already my favorite Christmas.” 

“Mine too.” She agreed with a soft smile which quickly turned to a yawn. “Sorry.”

“It’s late. I should let you get some rest. Goodnight, Mel.” He said and smiled deeply when she tiptoed up to place a kiss to his cheek. 

“Goodnight, Phil.” She whispered and offered one last smile before heading into her room. 

He turned back to his own room with a shake of his head. At least he knew they weren’t all that serious. He could have done without her mentioning the possibility of next Christmas, but he wasn’t going to think about that now. He wondered if Garner thought they were serious. He’d called every evening to talk to her and say goodnight which had been a fun treat. He sighed as he pressed his palms onto the dresser and looked in the mirror. Who was he kidding? If it wasn’t Garner it would be some other great guy. He really needed to move past these feelings. 

He slid his tie off and tossed it to the chair in the corner in frustration. 

He made it three steps towards his closet before he couldn’t take it anymore and went and picked up his tie and folded it neatly before placing it carefully in his top drawer. 

There was no need to lose his head over all this and turn into a barbaric slob.

He sighed as he moved to unbutton his shirt but paused at the soft knock against his door. 

He was surprised to find Melinda on the other side in their academy sweatshirt and leggings. 

“Everything okay?” He asked. 

She shrugged before explaining, “I think I drank too much cider and I’m a little sugared up. Want to watch a movie to wind down? You’re probably tired I can just…”

“Make the popcorn” he interrupted “and if you’re really sweet I’ll let you pick out the movie.”

“Deal!” She beamed and turned to head down the stairs in search of popcorn. 

He shook his head and quickly changed his clothes. He was determined to enjoy this Christmas with her.

A few minutes later she slid into the recliner next to him and happily passed him the popcorn bowl. 

Garner could have next Christmas, but this one was his, and he was going to make the most of every second of it. 

She only lasted fifteen minutes before she was asleep with her head on his shoulder. 

Clearly she was more tired than she thought. 

He finished the movie if for no other reason than to get to sit and hold her close longer. He had tried to wake her twice, but each time she just burrowed into his side. He smiled to himself as he carefully adjusted the recliner back to its upright position. He looked at her one last time to see that she was no closer to waking up before he carefully slid his arm under her legs and lifted her into his arms as he stood. He paused for a moment to see if she would wake up, but she simply pressed her head against his shoulders. Her nose brushed against his neck and he willed his heart to stop racing. He moved carefully up the stairs, and he used his foot to nudge the door open a little farther. For the first time in his life, he wished there were more stairs to climb.

He moved slowly into the room and laid her carefully on the bed. He smiled fondly when she snuggled into the pillow. Very carefully, he adjusted the covers and pulled them over her, and then he paused for a moment to enjoy the view.

She was so lovely.

His fingers whispered across her forehead as he brushed a stray piece of hair off of her brow, and he was certain he could be perfectly happy spending the rest of his life simply taking care of her. There were moments like this when he would just look at her and feel the air rush from his lungs. His heart was full and he was so in love with her he felt it could explode right out of his chest. How could anyone be that beautiful? She was more than just her beauty. She was smart and clever and so very strong. She was the embodiment of power and grace and he adored her. She wasn't perfect; he'd seen her at her worst, but she was his everything and he didn't want to spend a day without her. 

He was so desperately in love with her.

He would have been content to stay there all night and watch over her as she slept, but his eyes were growing heavy. He leaned down and pressed the lightest of kisses to her forehead as he whispered goodnight. 

He had just reached the door when her whispered, “Goodnight, Phil” reached his ears.

He turned back to see her eyes still closed, but the sweetest smile graced her face. He shook his head, but a smile broke out across his own face as he walked across the hall to his own room. 

He sighed as he slid under the covers. His arms felt empty, but as he closed his eyes and remembered the way it felt to hold her close, his heart felt very full. 


	6. Chapter 6

“You’re wasting them, Melinda,” he said with an exasperated sigh.

Another marshmallow hit his face. 

“I don’t really consider this a waste,” she said with a determined look as she pulled another marshmallow from the bag and took aim, “Just lean forward a little. It’s hardly fair if your pocket is pressed flat.”

He rolled his eyes but reached down to open his pocket wider before turning his attention back to the comic book he was flipping through. 

She cheered in triumph a moment later and he reached into his pocket to pull out the marshmallow and pop it into his mouth. 

The next one hit his face again. 

“That was on purpose,” he accused and her answering smirk confirmed it. 

She shrugged her shoulders and popped a marshmallow into her mouth before suggesting, “I just thought you were hungry and wanted another one.”

It wasn’t the marshmallow that he wanted, and he bit the inside of his cheek to keep from telling her so. 

Another marshmallow hitting his face helped to distract him. 

“Seriously? Am I not paying you enough attention so you feel the need to resort to this childish behavior?” He asked with an arched brow.

“No, you’re not. Give me attention, Phil!” She whined playfully and he closed the comic book with an exaggerated sigh. 

“Ugh….you’re so needy,” he teased as he stood from the table and reached down a hand to help her stand. 

He led her to the front door and pulled her coat from the rack to toss at her. “Suit up, May.”

She slipped into her coat and waited patiently for him to do the same. He turned and pulled her hat over her head making sure to cover her eyes and leave it annoyingly crooked. He grinned when her arm connected with his stomach in retaliation.

He led her to the driveway he had shoveled that morning and tossed the basketball in her direction. She caught it easily and gave a playful wink as she lined up and easily made the shot. 

“Your turn,” she said and pointed to her spot with a flourish. 

He smiled as he sank the shot. 

They continued back and forth for a while until they started to throw hands in each other's faces and various other maneuvers to try to get the other to miss it. 

The ball had just released from his hands when she crashed into him and knocked him off balance. He stumbled back on his feet a bit and his hands stole around her waist to hold her steady. He barely kept them from falling over and went to comment on his heroic save but his breath caught as she looked up at him. 

She pulled her bottom lip between her teeth and his heart raced thinking about how badly he wanted to do that. He tore his eyes away from her lips long enough to look into her eyes and see a glimmer of something there. He wanted to examine it, pursue it, indulge in it….but before he could even open his mouth to even ask what it was, his mother pulled into the driveway.

They moved apart and out of the way. 

He gave her one last lingering glance before they each moved to help his mother unload the groceries from her car. He wasn’t sure, but he thought Melinda’s cheeks held the softest tint of pink. 

They helped his mom finish last-minute cleaning and cooking and then made their way upstairs to get ready before everyone arrived. It was their annual family Christmas Eve party, and he was excited about seeing all of the aunts, uncles, and cousins again. He pulled the deep red sweater over his head and adjusted the collar of his dress shirt beneath it. With a final glance in the mirror, he walked across the hall to check on Melinda. 

He knocked gently and smiled when she opened the door. 

“Just in time,” she exclaimed and turned to present the zipper of her dress for him to fix. 

Her dress tonight was short and black. There were tiny splashes of silver that brushed up the hem of her dress and looked like shiny little snowflakes. 

He spared himself the agony and pulled the zipper up quickly this time. She thanked him and then handed him her necklace to help her put on as well. She had opened a package from Andrew that morning with a gold chain and diamond pendant; but as she turned away once more to allow him to clasp the necklace around her neck, he smiled when he realized it was the necklace he had given her earlier that year for her birthday. 

He waited for her to slip a soft little black jacket on to complete her attire and helped lift her hair out of the way as it settled on her shoulders. 

“Sure you want to meet all of my family?” He asked. “You could hide up here with a good book, and I could bring you a plate,” he offered with a grin as she turned to face him. 

“Sure you want all of your family to meet me,” she countered with an arched brow.

He smiled and offered his arm, “100% positive. Let’s go.”

She smiled and walked with him down the stairs to the sound of Christmas music and mingling guests. 

He lost count of how many relatives mentioned to him how good they looked together, and he turned pink every time. It didn’t seem to bother Melinda who just smiled and replied, “Don’t we though?”

She mingled with his family throughout the night and gave him space to do the same and catch up with those he doesn’t get to see much anymore. They occasionally caught each other’s eyes across the room and smiled as they continued their conversations. His Aunt Sarah was especially taken with her and his heart flooded with warmth as he watched Melinda animatedly telling her something across the crowded living room. He had just slipped into the kitchen to grab another tray of desserts to put out when his mother joined him. 

“Melinda seems to be having a good time. The whole family loves her.” She praised.

“Of course they do! She’s great!” He agreed and moved to uncover the dessert tray on the counter. 

She studied him carefully before suggesting, “Why don’t you just talk to her, son. Maybe she isn’t as interested in that Garner boy as you think.”

“How could she not be interested? He’s great.” He replied as he busied himself with wiping off the counter. 

“You’re great, Phillip.” She cheered with a soft smile as she moved to join him at the counter and placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. 

“Thanks, mom,” he said with a dismissive laugh.

“I don’t understand why you won’t just talk to her about how you feel…,” she sighed. 

He shook his head. “It’s a bit more complicated than that, Mom”

Not to be put off she pushed a little more, “Phil, you’ve had a crush on her since you met her. She’s all you ever talk about. Just tell her you’re interested.”

“She’s happy mom. I’m not going to mess with that,” He sighed and looked up with a helpless shrug of his shoulders.

“She’s happy with you. You should see how happy she is with you. If she only knew that you were interested she might…” she tried again. 

He pressed his hands to the counter and stared aimlessly at the various treats lined up on the tray. “Please just…just drop it, Mom. I’m not going to say anything”

“But why not?” She questioned with a huff.

“Because I love her!” He exclaimed in a frustrated tone that surprised his mother and cast a silence across the kitchen. “But it doesn’t matter.” He finished with a voice that sounded soft and deflated.

His mother just stood there helplessly with a sad smile on her face. 


	7. Chapter 7

“Because I love her!” He exclaimed in a frustrated tone that surprised his mother and cast a silence across the kitchen. “But it doesn’t matter.” He finished with a voice that sounded soft and deflated. 

His mother just stood there helplessly with a sad smile on her face, but her eyes weren’t focused on him. She had her attention trained just over his shoulder, and he tensed knowingly.

“How can you say that?” She asked, and he didn’t have to turn around to know who it was.

“Melinda…” he breathed and looked up to see his mother gently nod and slip from the room to give them some privacy. 

“How can you say that Phil?” she asked again, and he just couldn’t find it in him to turn around and face her. 

With head bent low and shoulders sagged, he finally replied, “You weren’t supposed to hear that, Mel. I’m so sorry.”

“Sorry that you said it, or sorry that I heard it?” She asked and her tone was a mix of anger and frustration. 

“Both.” He whispered. 

“Are you sorry that you love me?” She asked after a moment, and he squeezed his eyes shut and clenched his fist at his side. 

“I could never be sorry for that, Melinda.” He said softly as he finally turned to face her.

She stood just inside the kitchen and his heart broke at the look of hurt and confusion in her eyes. She held his eyes for a moment before she broke contact. 

“Then how can you say it doesn’t matter?” She asked equally soft with eyes cast to the floor.

“Because it doesn’t change anything.” He shrugged and her eyes snapped up to his.

“Phil,…this changes everything” she responded and his heart hurt knowing she was right. He had just crossed a line and there was no coming back from it. 

He was near tears and feeling more broken than he thought possible as he breathed out, “I know…and I’m so sorry.”

Her voice was so soft he could barely hear her, but the pleading tone to her voice seemed to scream at him as she asked, “How long, Phil?”

He rubbed his hand over his face and tried to speak past the lump in his throat. His response when it came, was a whispered confession. “Basically since the moment we met…”

Her eyes squeezed shut at his words. “Why haven’t you ever said anything?” She questioned and when she opened her eyes they shined with moisture and his chest felt tight. 

He couldn’t breathe and felt like his chest was caving in and his world was crashing around him. It hurt to look at her, to see everything he’s ever wanted, and know that every word he speaks is pushing her farther and farther away. He didn’t want to have this conversation with her, but if he was going to lose her it would be with every confession bared. 

His voice was shaky as he responded, “Because I didn’t think you could ever feel that way for me, and I didn’t want to lose you. Now,…you’re with Garner…and he’s….geez, Mel….I could never compete with him.”

“I’ve never asked you to compete, Phil. I just needed you to confess,” she choked out. She shook her head as she continued, “How can you not know that you’re it? Everyone else was just to make it hurt less that you didn’t want me back.”

“Not want you back?!” He asked appalled at the suggestion as he moved from behind the counter to stand in the empty space in front of it “How could you ever think that I didn’t want you? You’re all I want! Mel,….you’re….you're everything to me.”

They stood facing each other across the room. His look was one of anguish, and he couldn’t breathe when he saw the tears sliding slowly down her cheeks. 

“Then do something, Phil,” she pleaded. 

He was across the room in two long strides and pulling her into his arms. He pressed his lips to hers desperately as he crushed her to his chest. One of her hands slid under his arms to fist her hand in the back of his shirt while the other hand moved smoothly up his chest and continued its path up his neck and to the back of his head. Her fingers threaded into his hair to pull him impossibly closer. 

A soft sob tore from her throat, and he pulled away to press his forehead to hers. His hands moved up to cup her cheeks and he held her face reverently with eyes closed as a prayer of gratitude whispered past his lips. Their breathing was heavy as they took a moment to gather themselves. A moment later she tiptoed up to press a soft, sweet kiss to his lips before hugging him tightly with her face pressed into his neck and shoulder. 

“I love you, Phil.” She whispered against his skin, and he almost sagged with relief but instead pulled away enough to kiss her again. 

They stood there a moment longer stealing kisses until a soft voice interrupted from the doorway, “Did you two figure things out?”

“Yes, ma’am,” Melinda responded with a smile and flush of her cheeks. 

“Good! Well then, we’re all headed out to see the Christmas lights around town so you two have the house to yourselves for a little while. Just please try to move it upstairs before we get back so no one is scandalized. It is Christmas after all!”

“Mom!” Phil shouted, but Melinda’s laughter floated across the room and he just shook his head and joined in. 

“Merry Christmas, Melinda”

“Mmm…hmmm…it really is.” She smiled and then found his lips again. 

He was sitting in the double recliner toying with his cuff links a short while later when she walked into the living room. She had the sweetest smile on her face and he patted the spot next to him in invitation.

“How was it?” He asked as she sat down beside him. 

She sighed and leaned her head against his shoulder as she replied, “He was a little hurt and it didn’t help that I broke up with him on Christmas Eve, but he said he’d been waiting for me to figure this all out since the first time he saw us together. He said he knew then that I was in love with you, and blamed himself for still pursuing things with me anyway.”

He took her hand in his and laced their fingers as he processed what she said. 

“How do you feel about it?” He asked a moment later. 

She picked her head up from his shoulders so that she could look him in the eyes as she responded, “I don’t feel great about hurting him. He was a good guy, but this…you and me…it’s…”

“Everything,” he interrupted and stroked the back of her thumb with his own.

“Yeah,” she sighed and a soft smile stole across her lips, “this is everything, Phil, and I’m so glad we found it.”

“And finally admitted to it?” He added with a smile.

She laughed softly and nodded. “Yeah….finally.”

“We’re idiots,” he declared with a shake of his head.

“Such idiots,” she agreed and the smile grew and reached her eyes as she continued, “but you’re my idiot now and I’m yours.”

He brought their joined hands to his lips and placed a kiss to the back of hers as he said, “I think I’ll just call you my girlfriend.”

She laughed and used her free hand to trace her fingers across his jaw as she praised, “You’re smarter already.”

“Mmm…hmm. So….now what?” He asked and his breath caught at the look in her eyes. 

“Now, Phil, we head upstairs to your room so that we don’t scandalize Aunt Sarah when they return.”

His heart was racing and his brain lost the ability to form words so he just nodded eagerly and smiled at the laugh that escaped her lips. 

She gave him a slow lingering kiss before standing and leading him towards the stairs. 

He had a dopey grin on his face as he happily followed her up the stairs and to his bedroom. 

With each step they took, he was more and more convinced.

This was by far the best Christmas ever. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I actually wrote this scene first this summer because I just kept picturing this moment in my head. I hope you've enjoyed reading this story as much as I enjoyed writing it.
> 
> Also...I've added an epilogue...because it's Christmas...and I didn't want it to be over.


	8. Epilogue

“Oh come on, Mel! Don’t you want to know what it is?” He asked as they stood in front of the tree in his mother’s living room.

“No! I told you I want to be surprised!”

“But it will be a surprise right now if you just take a little peak!” He bargained and pulled the sealed envelope from his pocket. 

“Nope. I’ve waited this long. I can wait until it’s time to know.”

“Fine,” he sighed and placed the envelope back into his jacket, “We should probably help mom finish getting ready. Everyone will be here soon. This is your fourth Coulson Family Christmas Party. Are you ready?”

“Yep! They’ve all been significantly different for us. Each Christmas Eve has been even better than the last. On the first one, you finally told me that you love me, on the second one you proposed, and on the third one I became your wife and this one...”

She was interrupted by the doorbell ringing to signal the arrival of aunts and uncles.

He smiled and tugged her gently into her arms. “We could just stay up here and play, wifey,” he suggested as his lips trailed up her neck slowly from shoulder to jaw.   
Her eyes closed automatically as his lips moved across her skin but she had sense enough to warn him, “Aunt Sarah will come looking for us.”

“She’d be scandalized,” he said as he reluctantly pulled away.

She shook her head with a mischievous grin, “She’d offer pointers.”

“That’s way worse…lets just talk to her at the party,” he suggested and she laughed at the scrunched up face he made thinking about Aunt Sarah offering suggestions. 

She shook her head and reached up to press one more kiss to his lips before taking his hand and leading him downstairs to the party. 

They greeted each guest as they came and helped his mother set out the trays of food. The night was spent mingling with his family, and catching up with those they hadn’t seen since last year. 

His eyes found hers often across the room and his heart raced looking at her just as much as it did four years ago when he’d brought her home with him the first time. She was indescribably beautiful and he still couldn’t believe that she loved him back. She seemed to feel his eyes on her from across the room and looked up from her conversation with Aunt Sarah and gave him a wink. 

He watched as her hand pressed against her back to relieve the pressure from standing so long. He smiled as he thought about taking her to bed later and giving her a thorough massage. He was a dedicated husband who just so happened to use any excuse to have his hands on his wife, but this was a purely selfless motivation on his part. Kinda selfless he admitted to himself as his eyes moved over her form in the dark green dress she was wearing. He wasn’t sure how Melinda managed to get even hotter over the past year, but he planned to take every opportunity to make her feel as gorgeous as she looked. 

He lost count of how many times he was congratulated and told how beautiful his wife was. He eagerly agreed with them and searched the room to catch her eye. He was by far the luckiest man on the planet. The first Christmas he had brought her home with him, he was so sure that he would never have a chance with her, but as she smiled at him from across the room his heart filled with happiness. Melinda May Coulson: his wife. He would say that he couldn’t be happier but he knew it would only get better from here. Her parents had come for the second year in a row, and he was relieved to see that they seemed to be mingling well. 

He searched the room one more time to make sure Melinda was okay before heading to the kitchen to grab another tray of desserts. 

“I decided that I’m ready to know what it is,” Melinda said as she joined him in the kitchen a short while later. 

He smiled in satisfaction as he teased, “I knew you would cave eventually! It’s too exciting to wait…” he trailed off as he looked at her face. He sobered quickly. “I’ll go get my mom.” He said and dashed out of the kitchen to grab his mother and Melinda’s parents. 

Three hours later, at 11:15 p.m., they both knew. 

“She’s so beautiful” he whispered as he kissed Melinda’s temple and stroked his fingertips carefully across the cheek of his daughter’s face. 

“Wasn’t it fun to be surprised?” She asked with a knowing smile as she leaned her head against his shoulder. 

He rolled his eyes playfully as he agreed, “Maybe…but it also would have been fun to peak in that envelope from the doctor and been prepared. She could already have her name on a stocking.”

She huffed in reply as she adjusted the small bundle in her arms. 

Evie May Coulson was almost three weeks early but made the perfect Christmas present. They had a couple of names prepared but her early arrival was taken as a sign and she was named for their favorite and most significant day of the year and his most favorite person in the universe (beating out Captain America by a mile). His mother would have her name on a stocking by the time they left the hospital. 

She was the most perfect baby he had ever seen and anyone who dared to call him biased would only need to look at her to concede his point. She had Melinda’s eyes and dark black hair, but her smile was his, and the cute little dimples that graced her cheeks when her lips turned up in sleep would persuade Melinda into all kinds of things just like his did. 

He had counted all ten fingers and toes over and over until Melinda finally smacked his hand away and tucked her tiny feet back into the blanket. She rolled her eyes but the soft smile that tugged at the corner of her lips gave her away. 

She was so going to be a sucker for those dimples. 

He smiled as he kissed the top of Melinda’s head and looked down at his family. 

His Family. 

He was a husband and father now and his heart flooded with the love and happiness that the knowledge of that brought. 

This time last year he was convinced that nothing could ever be better than getting to marry Melinda May, but as he looked at the tiny ball of perfection squirming in her mother’s arms he knew that it was even better to get to create a baby with Melinda Coulson. 

“You’re getting sappy,” she whispered as she looked up at him and saw the lovesick look on his face. 

“Yep, and you like it,” he replied and she smirked as she tilted her head up to press a kiss to his lips. 

“You’re a daddy now,” she said and happiness radiated from her eyes.

His heart melted at the word and he swallowed hard as the reality of that title settled onto his shoulders. “I’m a daddy now,” he breathed and leaned down to kiss her again. 

“You’re welcome,” she whispered cheekily and a soft laugh passed his lips. 

Even though he has said it for the past four Christmas’ in a row now, it was even more true this year. 

This was by far the best Christmas ever. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for following along with this story and for all of the supportive comments, feedback, and kudos! This fandom is the best! Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

**Author's Note:**

> I have not abandoned my other two stories...just had unexpected surgery and was too medicated to safely update the others this weekend. This one I've had written for months and had to oh so patiently wait till close enough to Christmas to post it. Updates to all stories coming soon!


End file.
